The picks are in, but not without some fuss. But after wrestling ESPN.com columnist Mechelle Voepel to the ground -- of all the things we ask her to do, this is the one she really despises -- she gave in and decided to share her predictions for the Final Four.

Good thing we asked, because unlike a lot of experts, Voepel wasn't afraid to stick with the one No. 1 seed most people are picking against to reach New Orleans, and threw in a third seed, too.

A look at the experts' picks:

FINAL FOUR FORECAST

East: Connecticut Despite losing two of their last four games, there's really no reason to think the Huskies won't return to the Final Four. And with everyone back from last season's NCAA championship team, they remain seasoned and talented. Mideast: Duke The Blue Devils have everybody coming back for the third year in a row -- and they've already been to two straight Final Fours. They are talented and well-coached. For Duke, it's been-there, done-that -- but now they have to put the finishing touches on and win it. Midwest: Tennessee After graduating Gwen Jackson and Kara Lawson, and then losing Loree Moore, the Lady Vols put together a remarkable season. A lot of different players have stepped up. They're very talented on the inside with pretty good shooters on the perimeter. And they play hard at both ends of the floor. West: Purdue This a very solid defensive team that's playing incredibly well. The Boilermakers are undersized but extremely balanced.

East: Penn State The Lady Lions are fired up. They've played well as a team throughout the season and have seemed Final Four-bound all year long. Mideast: Duke When their offense wasn't on, the Blue Devils' defense has carried them. But now, the offense is coming around. They also have experience and the player who has been the best in the country this year in Alana Beard. Midwest: Oklahoma The Sooners are one of those teams that is on a run at the right time. If they make it back to the Mideast Region, which will be played on their home court, I don't think they can be beaten there. West: Texas The Longhorns have all the pieces, plus Final Four experience. And if they get to the regional final, they will be very difficult to beat at that stage.